An Update and Expansion of a Meta-Analysis on Shared Book Reading

Background: Previous meta-analysis

Bus, Van IJzendoorn, & Pellegrini’s (1995) meta-analysis revealed an effect size of d = .59, indicating that parent-child shared book reading in preschool age explains about 8% of the variance in reading and language measures in grade 1. Since 1995 the number of studies testing effects of book reading has grown exponentially. Besides, animated stories on DVD, the internet or television have taken their share in children’s literary canon.

Current meta-analysis

Therefore, we wonder whether these new forms of story encounters have similar effects on language and literacy measures. In a series of meta-analyses, we take these new studies into account and expand the review by adding new variables such as qualitative aspects of book reading (e.g., dialogic reading) and new forms of story encounters. Results will implicate evidence-based instructions about the most effective forms of shared book reading in home and at school.